[Footnote 1: The Assyrian rendering has, "art caused to journey."]

[Footnote 2: The Assyrian mistranslates, "A servant (is) Istar."]

[Footnote 3: The translation given in the text is extremely doubtful.]

[Footnote 4: Literally, "the brilliant one," a title of the moon-god, which gave rise to the classical legend of Nannarus.]

[Footnote 5: The Assyrian renders this by "Istar."]

[Footnote 6: Or perhaps "smites."]

[Footnote 7: Or perhaps "smiter."]



REVERSE

1 Thou who on the axis of heaven dawnest, in the dwellings of the earth her name revolves; my begetter. 2 (As) Queen of heaven above and below may she be invoked; my begetter. 3 The mountains fiercely she hurls-into-the-deep;[1] my begetter. 4 As to the mountains, their goodly stronghold (art) thou, their mighty lock (art) thou;[2] my begetter. 5 May thy heart rest; may thy liver be magnified. 6 O Lord Anu, the mighty, may thy heart rest. 7 O Lord, the mighty Prince[3] Bel, may thy liver be magnified. 8 O Istar, the Lady of heaven, may thy heart rest. 9 O Lady, Queen of heaven, may thy liver (be magnified). 10 O Lady, Queen of the House of heaven, may thy heart (rest). 11 O Lady, Queen of the land of Erech, may thy liver (be magnified). 12 O Lady, Queen of the land of the four rivers of Erech,[4] may thy heart (rest). 13 O Lady, Queen of the Mountain of the World,[5] may thy liver (be magnified). 14 O Lady, Queen of the Temple of the Resting-place of the world, may thy heart (rest). 15 O Lady, Queen of Babylon, may thy liver (be magnified). 16 O Lady, Queen of the Memorial of Nan'a, may thy heart (rest). 17 O Queen of the Temple, Queen of the gods, may thy liver (be magnified).

18 Prayer of the heart to Istar.

19 Like its original[6] written and translated. 20 Palace of Assur-bani-pal, King of Assyria; 21 Son of Esar-haddon, King of multitudes, King of Assyria, high-priest of Babylon, 22 King of Sumer and Accad, King of the Kings of Cush and Egypt, 23 King of the four zones; Son of Sennacherib, 24 King of multitudes, King of Assyria; 25 who to Assur and Beltis, Nebo and Tasmit trusts. 26 Thy kingdom, O light of the gods.

[Footnote 1: The Assyrian mistranslates, "I hurl into the deep."]

[Footnote 2: The Assyrian mistranslates "I" for "thou."]

[Footnote 3: "Sadi" in Assyrian, literally "mountain" or "rock," and apparently connected with the Hebrew "Shaddai," as in the phrase "El Shad-dai," "God Almighty."]

[Footnote 4: Possibly the four rivers of Paradise.]

[Footnote 5: Also called the "Mountain of the East," Mount Elwand on which the ark rested.]

[Footnote 6: That is the text from which the Assyrian copy was made for the library of Assurbanipal.]



ANNALS OF ASSUR-NASIR-PAL (SOMETIMES CALLED SARDANAPALUS)

TRANSLATED, WITH NOTES, BY REV. J.M. RODWELL, M.A.

Concerning Assur-nasir-habal or Assur-nasir-pal (i.e., "Assur preserves the son") we possess fuller historical records than of any other of the Assyrian monarchs, and among these the following inscription is the most important. From it, and from the inscription upon his statue discovered by Mr. Layard [Footnote: Now in the British Museum.] in the ruins of one of the Nimroud temples, we learn that he was the son of Tuklat-Adar or Tuklat-Ninip, that he reigned over a territory extending from the "Tigris to the Lebanon, and that he brought the great sea and all countries from the sunrise to the sunset under his sway." These inscriptions are published in the "Cuneiform Inscriptions of Western Asia," Vol. I, plates 17 to 27, and were partially translated by Professor Oppert, "Histoire des Empires de Chaldee et d'Assyrie,," page 73 and following "Extrait des Annales de philosophie chretienne" tom. IX, 1865.

There is considerable difficulty and a consequent divergence of opinion as to the precise date when Assur-nasir-pal ascended the throne. But he most probably reigned from 883 to 858 B.C.

It need scarcely be remarked that Assur-nasir-pal is a different person from the well-known Sardanapalus of classic writers, or Assur-bani-pal, the son of Esar-haddon, who reigned from about B.C. 668 to 625.

It will be seen from the inscription that the campaigns of Assur-nasir-pal took place in the mountains of Armenia, in Commagene and the provinces of the Pontus, inhabited by the Moschi [Footnote: The Mesek of Psalm cxx. 5.] and other tribes. He probably advanced into Media and a portion of western Persia. The countries on the banks of the Euphrates submitted to his arms, and in one of his expeditions he vanquished Nabu-bal-iddin, King of Babylon. Westward, he reduced the southern part of Syria, and advanced to the mountain chains of the Amanus and Lebanon, but though he penetrated as far as to Tyre and Sidon and exacted tribute from both as well as from Byblus and Aradus, he did not subdue Phoenicia. The kingdoms of Israel and Judah, under the sway of Ahab and Jehosaphat, were no doubt too powerful, as is evinced by the armies which they must have maintained for their struggle with the Syrians, [Footnote: See 2 Chron. xvii. and following chapters.] for Assur-nasir-pal to have ventured upon attacking them. This feat was reserved for his successors on the throne of Assyria.

The inscription was found in the ruins of the Temple at the foot of the Pyramid at Nimroud (Calach).



ANNALS OF ASSUR-NASIR-PAL

1 To Ninip[1] most powerful hero, great, chief of the gods, warrior, powerful Lord, whose onset in battle has not been opposed, eldest son, 2 crusher of opponents, first-born son of Nukimmut,[2] supporter of the seven,[3] noble ruler, King of the gods the producers, governor, he who rolls along the mass 3 of heaven and earth, opener of canals, treader of the wide earth, the god who in his divinity nourishes heaven and earth, the beneficent, 4 the exalted, the powerful, who has not lessened the glory of his face,[4] head of nations, bestower of sceptres, glorious, over all cities a ruler,[5] 5 valiant, the renown of whose sceptre is not approached, chief of widespread influence, great among the gods, shading from the southern sun, Lord of Lords, whose hand the vault of heaven 6 (and) earth has controlled, a King in battle mighty[6] who has vanquished opposition, victorious, powerful, Lord of water-courses and seas,[7] 7 strong, not yielding, whose onset brings down the green corn, smiting the land of the enemy, like the cutting of reeds, the deity who changes not his purposes, 8 the light of heaven and earth, a bold leader on the waters, destroyer of them that hate (him), a spoiler (and) Lord of the disobedient, dividing enemies, whose name in the speech of the gods 9 no god has ever disregarded, the gatherer of life, the god(?) whose prayers are good, whose abode is in the city of Calah, a great Lord, my Lord—(who am) Assur-nasir-pal, the mighty King, 10 King of multitudes, a Prince unequalled, Lord of all the four countries, powerful over hosts of men, the possession of Bel and Ninip the exalted and Anu 11 and of Dakan,[8] a servant of the great gods in the lofty shrine for great (O Ninip) is thy heart; a worshipper of Bel whose might upon 12 thy great deity is founded, and thou makest righteous his life, valiant, warrior, who in the service of Assur his Lord hath proceeded, and among the Kings 13 of the four regions who has not his fellow, a Prince for admiration, not sparing opponents, mighty leader, who an equal 14 has not, a Prince reducing to order his disobedient ones, who has subdued whole multitudes of men, a strong worker, treading down 15 the heads of his enemies, trampling on all foes, crushing assemblages of rebels, who in the service of the great gods his Lords 16 marched vigorously and the lands of all of them his hand captured, caused the forests of all of them to fall,[9] and received their tribute, taking 17 securities, establishing laws over all lands, when Assur the Lord who proclaims my name and augments my Royalty 18 laid hold upon his invincible power for the forces of my Lordship, for Assur-nasir-pal, glorious Prince, worshipper of the great gods 19 the generous, the great, the powerful, acquirer of cities and forests and the territory of all of them, King of Lords, destroying the wicked, strengthening 20 the peaceful, not sparing opponents, a Prince of firm will(?) one who combats oppression, Lord of all Kings, 21 Lord of Lords, the acknowledged, King of Kings, seated gloriously, the renown of Ninip the warrior, worshipper of the great gods, prolonging the benefits (conferred by) his fathers: 22 a Prince who in the service of Assur and the Sun-god, the gods in whom he trusted, royally marched to turbulent lands, and Kings who had rebelled against him 23 he cut off like grass, all their lands to his feet he subjected, restorer of the worship of the goddesses and that of the great gods, 24 Chief unwavering, who for the guidance of the heads (and) elders of his land is a steadfast guardian, the work of whose hands and 25 the gift of whose finger the great gods of heaven and earth have exalted, and his steps[10] over rulers have they established forever; 26 their power for the preservation of my Royalty have they exercised; the retribution of his power, (and) the approach of His Majesty over Princes 27 of the four regions they have extended: the enemies of Assur in all their country, the upper and the lower I chastised, and tribute and impost 28 upon them I established, capturing the enemies of Assur—mighty King, King of Assyria, son of Tuklat-Adar who all his enemies 29 has scattered; (who) in the dust threw down the corpses of his enemies, the grandson of Bin-nirari, the servant of the great gods, 30 who crucified alive and routed his enemies and subdued them to his yoke, descendant of Assur-dan-il, who the fortresses 31 established (and) the fanes made good. In those days by the decree[11] of the great gods to royalty power supremacy I rose up: 32 I am a King, I am a Lord, I am glorious, I am great, I am mighty, I have arisen, I am Chief, I am a Prince, I am a warrior 33 I am great and I am glorious, Assur-nasir-habal, a mighty King of Assyria, proclaimer of the Moon-god, worshipper of Anu, exalter of Yav,[12] suppliant of the gods 34 am I, servant unyielding, subduing the land of his foeman, a King mighty in battle, destroyer of cities and forests, 35 Chief over opponents, King of the four regions, expeller of his foes, prostrating all his enemies, Prince of a multitude of lands of all Kings 36 Even of all, a Prince subduing those disobedient to him, who is ruling all the multitudes of men. These aspirations to the face of the great gods 37 have gone up; on my destiny steadfastly have they determined; at the wishes of my heart and the uplifting of my hand, Istar, exalted Lady, 38 hath favored me in my intentions, and to the conduct of (my) battles and warfare hath applied her heart. In those days I Assur-nasir-pal, glorious Prince, worshipper of the great gods 39 the wishes of whose heart Bel will cause him to attain, and who has conquered all Kings who disobey him, and by his hand capturing 40 his enemies, who in difficult places has beaten down assemblages of rebels; when Assur, mighty Lord, proclaimer of my name 41 aggrandizer of my royalty over the Kings of the four regions, bountifully hath added his invincible power to the forces of my government, 42 putting me in possession of lands, and mighty forests for exploration hath he given and urgently impelled me—by the might of Assur my Lord, 43 perplexed paths, difficult mountains by the impetuosity of my hosts I traversed, and an equal there was not. In the beginning of my reign 44 (and) in my first campaign when the Sun-god guider of the lands threw over me his beneficent protection[13] on the throne of my dominion I firmly seated myself; a sceptre 45 the dread of man into my hands I took; my chariots (and) armies I collected; rugged paths, difficult mountains, which for the passage 46 of chariots and armies was not suited I passed, and to the land of Nairi[14] I went: Libie, their capital city, the cities Zurra and Abuqu 47 Arura Arubie, situated within the limits of the land of Aruni and Etini, fortified cities, I took, their fighting-men 48 in numbers I slew; their spoil, their wealth, their cattle I spoiled; their soldiers were discouraged; they took possession of a difficult mountain, a mountain exceedingly difficult; after them 49 I did not proceed, for it was a mountain ascending up like lofty points of iron, and the beautiful birds of heaven had not reached up into it: like nests 50 of the young birds in the midst of the mountain their defence they placed, into which none of the Kings my fathers had ever penetrated: in three days 51 successfully on one large mountain, his courage vanquished opposition: along the feet of that mountain I crept and hid: their nests, their tents, 52 I broke up; 200 of their warriors with weapons I destroyed; their spoil in abundance like the young of sheep I carried off; 53 their corpses like rubbish on the mountains I heaped up; their relics in tangled hollows of the mountains I consumed; their cities 54 I overthrew, I demolished, in fire I burned: from the land of Nummi to the land of Kirruri I came down; the tribute of Kirruri 55 of the territory of Zimizi, Zimira, Ulmanya, Adavas, Kargai, Harmasai, horses,[15] (fish (?), 56 oxen, horned sheep in numbers, copper, as their tribute I received: an officer to guard boundaries[16] over them I placed. While in the land of Kirruri 57 they detained me, the fear of Assur my Lord overwhelmed the lands of Gilzanai and Khubuskai; horses, silver 58 gold, tin, copper, kams of copper as their tribute they brought to me. From the land of Kirruri I withdrew; 59 to a territory close by the town Khulun in Gilhi[17] Bitani I passed: the cities of Khatu, Khalaru, Nistun, Irbidi, 60 Mitkie, Arzanie, Zila, Khalue, cities of Gilhi situated in the environs of Uzie and Arue 61 and Arardi powerful lands, I occupied: their soldiers in numbers I slew; their spoil, their riches I carried off; 62 their soldiers were discouraged; the summits projecting over against the city of Nistun which were menacing like the storms of heaven, I captured; 63 into which no one among the Princes my sires had ever penetrated; my soldiers like birds (of prey) rushed upon them; 64 260 of their warriors by the sword I smote down; their heads cut off in heaps I arranged; the rest of them like birds 65 in a nest, in the rocks of the mountains nestled; their spoil, their riches from the midst of the mountains I brought down; cities which were in the midst 66 of vast forests situated I overthrew, destroyed, burned in fire; the rebellious soldiers fled from before my arms; they came down; my yoke 67 they received; impost tribute and a Viceroy I set over them. Bubu son of Bubua son of the Prefect of Nistun 68 in the city of Arbela I flayed; his skin I stretched in contempt upon the wall. At that time an image of my person I made; a history of my supremacy 69 upon it I wrote, and (on) a mountain of the land of Ikin(?) in the city of Assur-nasir-pal at the foot I erected (it). In my own eponym in the month of July[18] and the 24th day (probably B.C. 882). 70 in honor of Assur and Istar the great gods my Lords, I quitted the city of Nineveh: to cities situated below Nipur and Pazate powerful countries 71 I proceeded; Atkun, Nithu, Pilazi and 20 other cities in their environs I captured; many of their soldiers I slew; 72 their spoil, their riches I carried off; the cities I burned with fire; the rebel soldiers fled from before my arms, submitted, 73 and took my yoke; I left them in possession of their land. From the cities below Nipur and Pazate I withdrew; the Tigris I passed; 74 to the land of Commagene I approached; the tribute of Commagene and of the Moschi[19] in kams of copper, sheep and goats I received; while in Commagene 75 I was stationed, they brought me intelligence that the city Suri in Bit-Khalupe had revolted. The people of Hamath had slain their governor 76 Ahiyababa the son of Lamamana[20] they brought from Bit-Adini and made him their King. By help of Assur and Yav 77 the great gods who aggrandize my royalty, chariots, (and) an army, I collected: the banks of the Chaboras[21] I occupied; in my passage tribute 78 in abundance from Salman-haman-ilin of the city of Sadi-kannai and of Il-yav of the city of Sunai,[22] silver, gold, 79 tin, kam of copper, vestments of wool, vestments of linen I received. To Suri which is in Bit-Halupe I drew near; 80 the fear of the approach of Assur my Lord overwhelmed them; the great men and the multitudes of the city, for the saving of their lives, coming up after me,[23] 81 submitted to my yoke; some slain, some living, some tongueless I made: Ahiyababa son of Lamamana 82 whom from Bit-Adini they had fetched, I captured; in the valor of my heart and the steadfastness of my soldiers I besieged the city; the soldiers, rebels all, 83 were taken prisoners; the nobles to the principal palace of his land I caused to send; his silver, his gold, his treasure, his riches, copper 84 (?)tin, kams, tabhani, hariati of copper, choice copper in abundance, alabaster and iron-stone of large size 85 the treasures of his harem, his daughters and the wives of the rebels with their treasures, and the gods with their treasures, 86 precious stones of the land of ..., his swift chariot, his horses, the harness, his chariot-yoke, trappings for horses, coverings for men, 87 vestments of wool, vestments of linen, handsome altars of cedar, handsome ..., bowls of cedar-wood 88 beautiful black coverings, beautiful purple coverings, carpets, his oxen, his sheep, his abundant spoil, which like the stars of heaven could not be reckoned, 89 I carried off; Aziel as my lieutenant over them I placed; a trophy along the length of the great gate I erected: the rebellious nobles 90 who had revolted against me and whose skins I had stripped off, I made into a trophy: some in the middle of the pile I left to decay; some on the top 91 of the pile on stakes I impaled; some by the side of the pile I placed in order on stakes; many within view of my land 92 I flayed; their skins on the walls I arranged; of the officers of the King's officer, rebels, the limbs I cut off; 93 I brought Ahiyababa to Nineveh; I flayed[24] him and fastened his skin to the wall; laws and edicts 94 over Lakie I established. While I was staying in Suri the tribute of the Princes of Lakie throughout the whole of them, 95 silver, gold, tin, copper, kam of copper, oxen, sheep, vestments of wool and linen, as tribute 96 and gift, I defined and imposed upon them. In those days, the tribute of Khayani of the city of Hindanai, silver, 97 gold, tin, copper, amu-stone, alabaster blocks, beautiful black (and) lustrous coverings I received as tribute from him. In those days an enlarged image 98 of my Royalty I made; edicts and decrees upon it I wrote; in the midst of his palace I put it up; of stone my tablets I made; 99 the decrees of my throne upon it I wrote; in the great gate I fixed them, in the date of this year which takes its name from me, in honor of Assur my Lord and Ninip who uplifts my feet.[25] 100 Whereas in the times of the Kings my fathers no man of Suhi to Assyria had ever come, Il-bani Prince of Suhi together with his soldiers 101 (and) his son, silver, gold as his tribute to Nineveh in abundance brought: in my own eponym[26] at the city of Nineveh I stayed: news 102 they brought me that men of the land of Assyria, (and) Hulai the governor of their city which Shalmaneser King of Assyria my predecessor 103 to the city of Hasiluha had united, had revolted: Dandamusa[27] a city of my dominion marched out to subdue (them); 104 in honor of Assur, the Sun-god and Yav, the gods in whom I trust, my chariots and army I collected at the head of the river Zupnat, the place of an image 105 which Tiglath-Pileser and Tiglath-Adar, Kings of Assyria my fathers had raised; an image of My Majesty I constructed and put up with theirs. 106 In those days I renewed the tribute of the land of Izala, oxen, sheep, goats: to the land of Kasyari[28] I proceeded, and to Kinabu 107 the fortified city of the province of Hulai. I drew near; with the impetuosity of my formidable attack I besieged and took the town; 600 of their fighting men 108 with (my) arms I destroyed; 3,000 of their captives I consigned to the flames; as hostages I left not one of them alive; Hulai 109 the governor of their town I captured by (my) hand alive; their corpses into piles I built; their boys and maidens I dishonored; 110 Hulai the governor of their city I flayed: his skin on the walls of Damdamusa I placed in contempt; the city I overthrew demolished, burned with fire; in the city of Mariru within their territory I took; 50 warrior fighting men by (my) weapons I destroyed; 200 of their captives in the flame I burned; 112 the soldiers of the land of Nirbi I slew in fight in the desert; their spoil, their oxen, their sheep, I brought away; Nirbu which is at the foot of mount Ukhira 113 I boldly took; I then passed over to Tila their fortified city; from Kinabu I withdrew; to Tila I drew near; 114 a strong city with three forts facing each other: the soldiers to their strong forts and numerous army trusted and would not submit; 115 my yoke they would not accept; (then,) with onset and attack I besieged the city; their fighting men with my weapons I destroyed; of their spoil, 116 their riches, oxen and sheep, I made plunder; much booty I burned with fire; many soldiers I captured alive; 117 of some I chopped off the hands and feet; of others the noses and ears I cut off; of many soldiers I destroyed the eyes;[29] 118 one pile of bodies while yet alive, and one of heads I reared up on the heights within their town; their heads in the midst I hoisted; their boys

(Continued on Column II.)

[Footnote 1: Ninip was one of the great gods of the Assyrian Pantheon, often joined with Assur as one of the special deities invoked by the Assyrian kings at the opening of their inscriptions. His name is also written under the symbol used for iron ("parzii"). Thus in later times the planets were connected with special metals.]

[Footnote 2: A goddess, called also Nuha, and the mother of Nebo as well as of Ninip. Fox Talbot (Gloss. 158) compares "nu (= 'al') kimmut" with the "al-gum" of Prov. xxx. 31, i.e., "irresistible."]

[Footnote 3: Planets. Or, "warrior among spirits." I mention this rendering as the suggestion of Mr. G. Smith, though I prefer that given above.]

[Footnote 4: Literally, "horn." Cf. Job xvi. 15.]

[Footnote 5: Tigallu. Menant renders this sentence "La massue pour regner sur les villes."]

[Footnote 6: Cf. Ps. xxiv. 8.]

[Footnote 7: Cf. Ps. xcv. 4; civ. 6; cvii. 35.]

[Footnote 8: Probably the Dagon of Scripture.]

[Footnote 9: Compare the boast in Isaiah xxxvii. 24, "I cut down the tall cedars."]

[Footnote 10: Goings. Cf. Ps. xl. 2, "He hath established my goings."]

[Footnote 11: Mouth.]

[Footnote 12: The god Yav may be the Yaveh of the Moabite stone.]

[Footnote 13: Or, shade. This may refer to the eclipse of July 13, 885 B.C.]

[Footnote 14: A federation of States north and northeast of Assyria at the head of the Euphrates. In Tig. iv. 7, 33 of their kings are mentioned.]

[Footnote 15: Literally, "animals of the East." This looks as if the Assyrians obtained the horse from some Eastern land.]

[Footnote 16: Or, a viceroy.]

[Footnote 17: A mountainous country near the upper Tigris, possibly Kurdistan.]

[Footnote 18: The Hebrew month Ab.]

[Footnote 19: In the text, "Kummuhi" and "Muski."]

[Footnote 20: Dr. Hincks was of opinion that Lamaman meant "nobody"; and that "Son of Lamaman" was a delicate way of indicating a man was of low origin. Norr. Dict., p. 690.]

[Footnote 21: Assyrian, "Khabur." This may be the Chebar mentioned in the Prophet Ezekiel. Schultens, however (in his Geogr.), mentions another Chaboras which flows into the Tigris.]

[Footnote 22: In the north of Mesopotamia.]

[Footnote 23: Literally, to my back.]

[Footnote 24: Compare 2 Mace. vii. 7 for a somewhat similar proceeding. The custom may also be alluded to in Mic. iii. 3.]

[Footnote 25: Compare Ps. lxxiv. 3, "Lift up thy feet," etc.]

[Footnote 26: About 882 B.C.]

[Footnote 27: Near the modern Diarbekir, on the road to the sources of the Supnat.]

[Footnote 28: In Armenia near the sources of the Tigris.]

[Footnote 29: Thus in 2 Kings xxv. 7 we read that the Chaldees "put out the eyes of Zedekiah." Samson (Judges xvi. 21) was similarly treated. And the custom may be alluded to in Num. xvi. 14. It may be well to compare the treatment of children as recorded in Joshua xi. 14 with what we read in line 118. Horrible and ferocious as was the treatment of the conquered by the Israelites, they at least on that occasion were content with enslaving the children.]



COLUMN II

1 and their maidens I dishonored, the city I overthrew, razed and burned with fire, In those days the cities of the land of Nirbi 2 (and) their strong fortresses, I overthrew, demolished, burned with fire: from Nirbi I withdrew and to the city Tuskha 3 I approached; the city of Tuskha I again occupied; its old fort I threw down: its place I prepared, its dimensions I took; a new castle 4 from its foundation to its roof I built, I completed, I reared: a palace for the residence of My Royalty with doors of iki wood I made; 5 a palace of brick from its foundations to its roof I made, I completed: a complete image of my person of polished stone I made; the history 6 of my surpassing nation and an account of my conquests which in the country of Nairi I had accomplished I wrote upon it; in the city of Tuskha 7 I raised it; on suitable stone I wrote and upon the wall I fixed it; (then) the men of Assyria, those who from the privation of food to various countries 8 And to Rurie had gone up, to Tuskha I brought back and settled there: that city to myself 9 I took; the wheats and barleys of Nirbi I accumulated in it; the populace of Nirbi who before my arms had fled, 10 returned and accepted my yoke; of their towns, their Viceroys, their many convenient houses I took possession; impost and tribute, horses, 11 horses for the yoke, fish, oxen, sheep, goats in addition to what I had before settled, I imposed upon them; their youths as hostages 12 I took. While I was staying in Tuskha, I received the tribute of Ammibaal son of Zamani, of Anhiti of the land of Rurie 13 of Labduri son of Dubuzi of the land of Nirdun and the tribute of the land of Urumi-sa Bitani, of the Princes of the land of Nairi, 14 chariots, horses, horses for the yoke, tin, silver, gold, kam of copper, oxen, sheep, goats. 15 Over the land of Nairi I established a viceroy: (but) on my return the land of Nairi, and Nirbu which is in 16 the land of Kasyari, revolted; nine of their cities leagued themselves with Ispilipri one of their fortified towns and to a mountain difficult of access 17 they trusted; but the heights of the hill I besieged and took; in the midst of the strong mountain their fighting men I slew; their corpses like rubbish on the hills 18 I piled up; their common people in the tangled hollows of the mountains I consumed; their spoil, their property I carried off; the heads of their soldiers 19 I cut off; a pile (of them) in the highest part of the city I built; their boys and maidens I dishonored; to the environs of the city Buliyani 20 I passed; the banks of the river Lukia[1] I took possession of; in my passage I occupied the towns of the land of Kirhi hard by; many of their warriors 21 I slew; their spoil I spoiled; their cities with fire I burned: to the city of Ardupati I went. In those days the tribute 22 of Ahiramu son of Yahiru of the land of Nilaai son of Bahiani of the land of the Hittites[2] and of the Princes of the land of Hanirabi, silver, gold, 23 tin, kam of copper, oxen, sheep, horses, as their tribute I received; in the eponym of Assuridin[3] they brought me intelligence that 24 Zab-yav Prince of the land of Dagara had revolted. The land of Zamua throughout its whole extent he boldly seized; near the city of Babite 25 they constructed a fort; for combat and battle they marched forth: in the service of Assur, the great god my Lord and the great Merodach 26 going before me,[4] by the powerful aid which the Lord Assur extended to my people, my servants and my soldiers I called together; to the vicinity 27 of Babite I marched: the soldiers to the valor of their army trusted and gave battle: but in the mighty force of the great Merodach going before me 28 I engaged in battle with them; I effected their overthrow: I broke them down; 1,460 of their warriors in the environs 29 I slew; Uzie, Birata, and Lagalaga, their strong towns, with 100 towns within their territory I captured; 30 their spoil, their youths, their oxen, and sheep I carried off; Zab-yav for the preservation of his life, a rugged mountain 31 ascended; 1,200 of their soldiers I carried off; from the land of Dagara I withdrew; to the city of Bara I approached; the city of Bara 32 I captured; 320 of their soldiers by my weapons I destroyed; their oxen, sheep, and spoil in abundance I removed; 33 300 of their soldiers I took off; on Tasritu[5] 15th from the town Kalzi I withdrew, and came to the environs of Babite; 34 from Babite I withdrew; to the land of Nizir which they call Lulu-Kinaba I drew near; the city Bunasi one of their fortified cities 35 belonging to Musazina and 20 cities of their environs I captured; the soldiers were discouraged; they took possession of a mountain difficult of access; I, Assur-nasir-pal impetuously after them 36 like birds swooped down; their corpses lay thick on the hills of Nizir; 326 of their warriors I smote down; his horses I exacted of him, 37 their common people in the tangled hollows I consumed; seven cities in Nizir, which were of their duly appointed fortresses I captured; their soldiers 38 I slew; their spoil, their riches, their oxen, their sheep I carried off; the cities themselves I burned; to these my tents I returned to halt; 39 from those same tents I departed; to cities of the land of Nizir whose place no one had ever seen I marched; the city of Larbusa 40 the fortified city of Kirtiara and 8 cities of their territory I captured; the soldiers lost heart and took to a steep mountain, a mountain (which) like sharp iron stakes 41 rose high upward; as for his soldiers, I ascended after them; in the midst of the mountain I scattered their corpses; 172 of their men I slew; soldiers 42 in numbers in the hollows of the mountain I hunted down; their spoil, their cattle, their sheep, I took away; their cities with fire 43 I burned; their heads on the high places of the mountain I lifted up;[6] their boys and maidens I dishonored; to the tents aforesaid I returned to halt; 44 from those same tents I withdrew; 150 cities of the territory of Larbusai, Durlulumai, Bunisai and Barai I captured; 45 their fighting men I slew; their spoil I spoiled; the city of Hasabtal I razed (and) burned with fire; 50 soldiers of Barai I slew in battle on the plain. 46 In those days the Princes of the entire land of Zamua were overwhelmed by the dread of the advance of Assur my Lord and submitted to my yoke; horses, silver, gold, 47 I received; the entire land under a Prefect I placed; horses, silver, gold, wheat, barley, submission, I imposed upon them 48 from the city of Tuklat-assur-azbat I withdrew; the land of Nispi accepted my yoke; I went down all night; to cities of remote site in the midst of Nispi 49 which Zab-yav had established as his stronghold I went, took the city of Birutu and consigned it to the flames. In the eponym of Damiktiya-tuklat, when I was stationed at Nineveh, they brough me news[7] 50 that Amaka, and Arastua withheld the tribute and vassalage due to Assur my Lord. In honor of Assur mighty Lord and Merodach the great going before me, 51 on the first of May[8] I prepared for the third time an expedition against Zamua: my fighting men[9] before the many chariots I did not consider: from Kalzi I withdrew; the lower Zab 52 I passed; to the vicinity of Babite I proceeded; the river Radanu at the foot of the mountains of Zima, my birthplace, I approached; oxen, 53 sheep, goats, as the tribute of Dagara I received: near Zimaki I added my strong chariots and battering rams as chief of warlike implements to my magazines; by night 54 and daybreak I went down; the Turnat in rafts I crossed; to Amali the strong city of Arastu I approached; 55 with vigorous assault the city I besieged and took; 800 of their fighting men I destroyed by my weapons; I filled the streets of their city with their corpses; 56 their many houses I burned; many soldiers I took alive; their spoil in abundance I carried off; the city I overthrew razed and burnt with fire; the city Khudun 57 and 20 cities in its environs I took; their soldiers I slew; their booty in cattle and sheep I carried off; their cities I overthrew razed and burned; their boys 58 their maidens I dishonored; the city of Kisirtu a fortified city of Zabini with 10 neighboring cities I took; their soldiers I slew; their spoil 59 I carried off; the cities of Barai and Kirtiara, Bunisai together with the province of Khasmar I overthrew razed and burned with fire; 60 I reduced the boundaries to a heap, and then from the cities of Arastua I withdrew: to the neighborhood of the territory of Laara and Bidirgi, rugged land, which for the passage 61 of chariots and an army was not adapted, I passed; to the royal city Zamri of Amika of Zamua I drew near; Amika from before the mighty prowess of my formidable attack 62 fled in fear and took refuge on a hill difficult of access: I brought forth the treasures of his palace and his chariot; from Zamri I withdrew and passed the river Lallu and to the mountains of Etini, 63 difficult ground, unfit for the passage of chariots and armies, whither none of the Princes my sires had ever penetrated; I marched in pursuit of his army on the mountains of Etini: 64 the hill I ascended: his treasure, his riches, vessels of copper, abundance of copper, kam of copper, bowls of copper, pitchers of copper, the treasures of his palace and of his storehouses, 65 from within the mountains I took away to my camp and made a halt: by the aid of Assur and the Sun-god, the gods in whom I trust, from that camp I withdrew and proceeded on my march; 66 the river Edir I passed on the confines of Soua and Elaniu, powerful lands; their soldiers I slew in numbers; their treasure, their riches, am[10] of copper, 67 kam of copper, sapli and namziete of copper, vessels of copper in abundance, pasur wood, gold and ahzi, their oxen, sheep, riches, 68 his abundant spoil, from below the mountains of Elani, his horses, I exacted from him: Amika for the saving of his life to the land of Sabue went up; 69 the cities Zamru, Arazitku, Amaru, Parsindu, Eritu, Zuritu his fortified city, with 150 cities 70 of his territory I overthrew, razed, burned; the boundary I reduced to a heap. While in the vicinity of Parsindi I was stationed, the warlike engines of the tribe of Kallabu 71 came forth against the place; 150 of the fighting men of Amika I slew in the plain; their heads I cut off and put them up on the heights of his palace; 72 200 of his soldiers taken by (my) hands alive I left to rot on the wall of his palace:[11] from Zamri the battering-rams and ... my banners I made ready; 73 to the fortress Ata, of Arzizai, whither none of the Kings my sires had ever penetrated I marched: the cities of Arzizu, and Arzindu 74 his fortified city, with ten cities situated in their environs in the midst of Nispi a rugged country, I captured; their soldiers I slew the cities I overthrew razed and burned with fire: 75 to those my tents I returned. In those days I received copper, tabbili of copper, kanmate of copper, and sariete as the tribute of the land of Siparmina, such as women 76 collect: from the city of Zamri I withdrew; to Lara, (the rugged hill-country, unfitted for the passage of chariots and armies, with instruments [axes] of iron I cut through and 77 with rollers of metal I beat down) with the chariots and troops I brought over to the city of Tiglath-assur-azbat in the land of Lulu—the city of Arakdi they call it—I went down; 78 the Kings of Zamue, the whole of them, from before the impetuosity of my servants and the greatness of my power drew back and accepted my yoke; tribute of silver, gold, tin, 79 copper, kam of copper, vestments of wool, horses, oxen, sheep, goats, in addition to what I had before settled, I imposed upon them; a Viceroy 80 in Kalach I created. While in the land of Zamue I was stationed the cities Khudunai, Khartisai, Khutiskai Kirzanai 81 were overwhelmed by fear of the advance of Assur my Lord; impost, tribute, silver, gold, horses, vestments of wool, oxen, sheep, goats, they brought to me; the rebel soldiers 82 fled from before my arms; they fled to the mountains; I marched after them; within confines of the land of Aziru they settled and got ready the city of Mizu as their strong place; 83 the land of Aziru I overthrew and destroyed; from Zimaki as far as the Turnat I scattered their corpses; 500 of their fighting men I destroyed; 84 their spoil in abundance I carried off. In those days in the land of Samua, (in which is) the city of Atlila which Zibir King of Kardunias had taken, devastated, 85 and reduced to a heap of ruins, I Assur-nasir-pal King of Assyria took, after laying siege to its castle a second time; the palace as a residence for My Majesty I therein strengthened, made princely and enlarged beyond what of old was planned; 86 the wheat and barleys of the land of Kalibi I accumulated therein; I gave it the name of Dur-Assur. On the first of May in the eponym of Sanmapakid[12] I collected my chariots and soldiers 87 the Tigris I crossed; to the land of Commagene I passed on; I inaugurated a palace in the city of Tiluli; the tribute due from Commagene I received; from Commagene I withdrew; 88 I passed on to the land of the Istarat;[13] in the city of Kibaki I halted; from Kibaki I received oxen, sheep, goats, and copper; from Kibaki I withdrew; 89 to the city of Mattyati I drew nigh; I took possession of the land of Yatu with the town Kapranisa; 2,800 of their fighting men I smote down with my weapons; their spoil in abundance I carried off; 90 the rebels who had fled from before my arms now accepted my yoke; of their cities I left them in possession; tribute impost and an officer[14] over them I set; 91 an image of my person I made; collected laws I wrote upon it and in the city of Mattiyati I placed it; from Mattiyati I withdrew; at the city of Zazabuka 92 I halted; the tribute of Calach in oxen, sheep, goats and various copper articles I received; from Zazabuka I withdrew; 93 at the city of Irzia I made a halt; that city I burned; but received there the tributes due from Zura in oxen, sheep, goats and kam copper: 94 from Izria I withdrew; in the land of Kasyari I halted; Madara (and) Anzi two cities of the territory I captured and slew their soldiers; 95 their spoil I carried off; the cities I burned with fire; six lakes I crossed over in Kasyari, a rugged highland for the passage of chariots and an army 96 unsuited; (the hills with instruments of iron I cut through [and] with rollers of metal I beat down;) the chariots and army I brought over. In a city of Assur[15] on the sandy side which is in Kasyari, 97 oxen, sheep, goats kam and gurpisi of copper I received; by the land of Kasyari I proceeded; a second time to the land of Nairi I went down; at the city of Sigisa 98 I made a halt; from Sigisa I withdrew; to Madara the fortified city of Labduri the son of Dubisi I drew near, a city extremely strong with four impregnable castles; 99 the city I besieged; they quailed before my mighty prowess; I received, for the preservation of their lives, their treasures, their riches, their sons, by tale; I imposed upon them 100 tribute and duties; an officer[16] I appointed over them; the city I demolished, razed, and reduced to a heap of ruins; from Madara I withdrew; to Tuskha 101 I passed over; a palace in Tuskha I dedicated; the tribute of the land of Nirdun, horses, yoke-horses, fish, kam of copper, gurpisi of copper, oxen, sheep, 102 goats, in Tuskha I received; 60 cities and strong castles below Kasyari, belonging to Labduri son of Dubuzi I overthrew razed and converted to a heap of ruins. 103 In the service of Assur my Lord from Tuskha I withdrew. The powerful chariots and battering-rams I put up in my stores; on rafts 104 I passed the Tigris; all night I descended; to Pitura a strong town of Dirrai I drew near—a very strong city— 105 two forts facing each other, whose castle like the summit of a mountain stood up: by the mighty hands of Assur my Lord and the impetuosity of my army and my formidable attack 106 I gave them battle; on two days before sunrise like Yav the inundator I rushed upon them; destruction upon them I rained with the might[17] 107 and prowess of my warriors; like the rush of birds coming upon them, the city I captured; 800 of their soldiers by my arms I destroyed; their heads 108 I cut off; many soldiers I captured in hand alive; their populace in the flames I burned; their spoil I carried off in abundance; a trophy of the living and of heads 109 about his great gate I built;[18] 700 soldiers I there impaled on stakes;[19] the city I overthrew, razed, and reduced to a heap of ruins all round; their boys, 110 their maidens, I dishonored; the city of Kukunu[20] facing the mountains of Matni I captured; 700 of their fighting men I smote down with my weapons; 111 their spoil in abundance I carried off; 50 cities of Dira I occupied; their soldiers I slew; I plundered them; 50 soldiers I took alive; the cities I overthrew 112 razed and burned; the approach of my Royalty overcame them; from Pitura I withdrew, and went down to Arbaki in Gilhi-Bitani; 113 they quailed before the approach of my Majesty, and deserted their towns and strong places: for the saving of their lives they went up to Matni a land of strength 114 I went after them in pursuit; 1,000 of their warriors I left in the rugged hills; their corpses on a hill I piled up; with their bodies the tangled hollows 115 of the mountains I filled; I captured 200 soldiers and cut off their hands; their spoil I carried away; their oxen, their sheep 116 without number, I took away; Iyaya, Salaniba, strong cities of Arbaki I occupied; the soldiers I slew; their spoil I carried off 117 250 towns surrounded with strong walls in the land of Nairi I overthrew demolished and reduced to heaps and ruins; the trees of their land I cut down; the wheat 118 and barley in Tuskha I kept. Ammiba'al the son of Zamani had been betrayed and slain by his nobles.[21] To revenge Ammiba'al 119 I marched; from before the vehemence of my arms and the greatness of my Royalty 120 they drew back: his swift chariots, trappings for men and horses one hundred in number, 121 horses, harness, his yokes, tribute of silver and gold with 100 talents 122 in tin, 100 talents in copper, 300 talents in annui, 100 kam of copper, 3,000 kappi of copper, bowls of copper, vessels of copper, 123 1,000 vestments of wool, nui wood, eru wood, zalmalli wood, horns, choice gold, 124 the treasures of his palace, 2,000 oxen, 5,000 sheep, his wife, with large donations from her; the daughters 125 of his chiefs with large donations from them I received. I, Assur-nasir-pal, great King, mighty King, King of legions, King of Assyria, 126 son of Tuklat-Adar great and mighty King, King of legions, King of Assyria, noble warrior, in the strength of Assur his Lord walked, and whose equal among the Kings 127 of the four regions exists not;[22] a King who from beyond the Tigris up to Lebanon and the Great Sea 128 hath subjugated the land of Laki in its entirety, the land of Zuhi with the city of Ripaki: from the sources of the Ani 129 (and) the Zupnat to the land bordering on Sabitan has he held in hand: the territory of Kirrouri with Kilzani on the other side the Lower Zab 130 to Tul-Bari which is beyond the country of the Zab; beyond the city of Tul-sa-Zabdani, Hirimu, Harute, the land of Birate 131 and of Kardunias I annexed to the borders of my realm and on the broad territory of Nairi I laid fresh tribute. The city of Calach I took anew; the old mound 132 I threw down; to the top of the water I brought it; 120 hand-breadths in depth I made it good; a temple to Ninip my Lord I therein founded; when 133 an image of Ninip himself which had not been made before, in the reverence of my heart for his great mighty god-ship, of mountain stone and brilliant gold I caused to make in its completeness; 134 for my great divinity in the city of Calach I accounted him: his festivals in the months of January and September[23] I established: Bit-kursi which was unoccupied I closed: 135 an altar to Ninip my Lord I therein consecrated: a temple for Beltis, Sin, and Gulanu, Hea-Manna[24] and Yav great ruler of heaven and earth I founded.

[Footnote 1: Probably the Lycus or upper Zab.]

[Footnote 2: The term "Hittites" is used in a large sense, as the equivalent of "Syrians," including the northern parts of Palestine.]

[Footnote 3: About 881 B.C.]

[Footnote 4: A scriptural phrase of frequent occurrence.]

[Footnote 5: Corresponding to the Jewish month Tisri, and to part of our September, called in Accadian "the Holy Altar."]

[Footnote 6: Cf. Gen. xi. 19, "Yet within three days shall Pharaoh lift up thy head from off thee."]

[Footnote 7: About 880 B.C.]

[Footnote 8: The Hebrew Sivan.]

[Footnote 9: I.e., in comparison with.]

[Footnote 10: "Am" may be the name of some weight, or figure; v. Norr. Assyr. Dict., pp. 127 and 720.]

[Footnote 11: Menant renders, "j'ai fait etouffer dans le mur."]

[Footnote 12: About 879 B.C.]

[Footnote 13: Goddesses.]

[Footnote 14: Urasi.]

[Footnote 15: Or, "Assur-sidi-huli" may be taken as the name of the town.]

[Footnote 16: "Urasi"(?).]

[Footnote 17: Compare a similar expression, Job xx. 23, "God shall rain (his fury) upon him while he is eating."]

[Footnote 18: Cf. 2 Kings x. 8, "Lay ye them (the heads) in two heaps in the entering in of the gate."]

[Footnote 19: Or, crosses.]

[Footnote 20: On the upper Tigris.]

[Footnote 21: I follow Dr. Oppert in the rendering of this obscure passage. Compare with Ammiba'al the name of the father of Bathsheba, which like many other proper names is indicative of the close relations between Assyria, Phoenicia, Syria, and Judea.]

[Footnote 22: This frequently recurring expression refers to the four races of Syria.]

[Footnote 23: "Tabita" (Heb. "Tebeth") and "Tasritu" (Heb. "Tisri"). It should be remarked that after the captivity the names of the months were exchanged for the Chaldean; and the old Hebrew names, such as "Abib" (Exod. xiii. 4), "Zif" (1 Kings vi. 37), "Ethanim" (ib. viii. 2), "Bul" (ib. vi. 38), and the titles first, second, third month, etc., were dropped.]

[Footnote 24: This name has also been read as "Nisroch-Salmon."]



COLUMN III

l On the 22d day of the third month, May,[1] in the eponym of Dagan-bel-ussur,[2] withdrew from Calach; I passed the Tigris at its nearer bank 2 and received a large tribute; at Tabite I made a halt; on the 6th day of the fourth month, June,[3] I withdrew from Tabite and skirted the banks of Kharmis; 3 at the town of Magarizi I made a halt; withdrew from it and passed along by the banks of the Chaboras and halted at Sadikanni; 4 the tribute due from Sadikanni, silver, gold, tin, kam of copper, oxen, sheep, I received and quitted the place. 5 At the city of Katni I made a halt; the tribute of Sunaya I received, and from Katni withdrew; 6 at Dar-Kumlimi[4] halted; withdrew from it and halted at Bit-Halupe, whose tribute 7 of silver, gold, tin, kam of copper, vestments of wool and linen, oxen and sheep I received, and withdrew from it; 8 at the city of Zirki I made a halt; the tribute of Zirki, silver, gold, tin, oxen, 9 sheep, I received; withdrew from Zirki; halted at Zupri, whose tribute 10 of silver, gold, tin, kami, oxen, sheep, I received; withdrew from Zupri and halted at Nagarabani, 11 whose tribute in silver, gold, tin, kami, oxen, sheep, I received and withdrew from it; 12 near Khindani, situated on the nearer banks of the Euphrates I halted; 13 the tribute of Khindani, silver, gold, tin, kami, oxen, sheep, I received. From Khindani 14 I withdrew; at the mountains over against the Euphrates[5] I halted; I withdrew from those mountains and halted at Bit-Sabaya near the town of Haridi 15 situate on the nearer bank of the Euphrates. From Bit-Sabaya I withdrew; at the commencement of the town of Anat[6] 16 I made a halt. Anat is situated in the midst of the Euphrates. From Anat I withdrew. The city of Zuru the fortified city of 17 Sadudu of the land of Zuhi I besieged: to the numerous warriors of the spacious land of the Kassi he trusted and to make war and battle to my presence advanced; l8 the city I besieged; two days I was engaged in fighting; I made good an entrance: (then) through fear[7] of my mighty arms Sadudu and his soldiers 19 for the preservation of his life, into the Euphrates threw himself: I took the city; 50 bit-hallu[8] and their soldiers in the service of Nabu-bal-idin King of Kardunias; 20 Zabdanu his brother with 300 of his soldiers and Bel-bal-idin who marched at the head of their armies I captured, together with them 21 many soldiers I smote down with my weapons; silver, gold, tin, precious stone of the mountains,[9] the treasure of his palace, 22 chariots, horses trained to the yoke, trappings for men and horses, the women of his palace, his spoil, 23 in abundance I carried off; the city I pulled down and razed; ordinances and edicts I imposed on Zuhi; the fear of my dominion to Kardunias reached; 24 the greatness of my arms overwhelmed Chaldaea;[10] on the countries of the banks of the Euphrates my impetuous soldiers I sent forth; an image 25 of my person I made; decrees and edicts upon it I inscribed; in Zuri I put it up, I Assur-nasir-pal, a King who has enforced his laws 26 (and) decrees and who to the sword hath directed his face to conquests and alliances hath raised his heart. While I was stationed at Calach 27 they brought me news that the population of Laqai and Khindanu of the whole land of Zukhi had revolted and crossed the Euphrates 28 on the eighteenth of May[11] I withdrew from Calach; passed the Tigris, took the desert to Zuri 29 by Bit-Halupi I approached in ships belonging to me which I had taken at Zuri: I took my way to the sources of the Euphrates; 30 the narrows of the Euphrates I descended, the cities of Khintiel and Aziel in the land of Laqai I took; their soldiers I slew; their spoil 31 I carried off; the cities I overthrew, razed, burned with fire. In my expedition marching westward of the banks of the Chaboras to 32 the city Zibate of Zuhi, cities on the other side of the Euphrates in the land of Laqai I overthrew, devastated and burned with fire; their crops I seized 460 soldiers 33 their fighting men by (my) weapons I destroyed; I took 20 alive and impaled them on stakes;[12] on ships which I had built— 34 in 20 ships which were drawn up on the sand at Haridi I crossed the Euphrates. The land of Zuhaya and Laqai 35 and the city of Khindanai[13] to the power of their chariots armies and hands trusted and summoned 6,000 of their soldiers to engage in fight and battle. 36 They came to close quarters; I fought with them; I effected their overthrow; I destroyed their chariots 6,500 of their warriors I smote down by my weapons; the remainder 37 in starvation in the desert of the Euphrates I shut up. From Haridi in Zukhi to Kipina and the cities of Khin-danai[13] 38 in Laqai on the other side I occupied; their fighting men I slew; the city I overthrew razed and burned. Aziel of Laqai 39 trusted to his forces and took possession of the heights of Kipina; I gave them battle; at the city of Kipina I effected his overthrow; 1,000 of his warriors I slew; 40 his chariots I destroyed; spoil I carried off in plenty; their gods I took away; for the preservation of his life he took refuge on a rugged hill of Bizuru at the sources of the Euphrates; 41 for two days I descended the river in pursuit: the relics of his army with my weapons I destroyed; their hiding place by the hills on the Euphrates I broke up; 42 to the cities of Dumite and Azmu belonging to the son of Adini[14] I went down after him; his spoil, his oxen, his sheep, 43 which like the stars of heaven were without number I carried off. In those days Ila of Laqai, his swift chariots and 500 soldiers 44 to my land of Assyria I transported; Dumutu and Azmu I captured, overthrew, razed and burned; in the narrows of the Euphrates I turned aside in my course and 45 I outflanked Aziel, who fled before my mighty power to save his life. Ila; the Prince of Laqai, his army his chariots, his harness, 46 I carried off and took to my city of Assur: Khimtiel of Laqai I made prisoner in his own city. Through the might of Assur my Lord, (and) in the presence of my mighty arms and the formidable attack 47 of my powerful forces he was afraid, and I received the treasures of his palaces, silver, gold, tin, copper, kam of copper, vestments of wool, his abundant spoil; and tribute 48 and impost in addition to what I had previously fixed I laid upon them; in those days I slew 50 buffaloes in the neighborhood of the nearer side of the Euphrates: eight buffaloes I caught alive; 49 I killed 20 eagles, and captured others alive: I founded two cities on the Euphrates; one on the farther bank 50 of the Euphrates which I named Dur-Assur-nasir-pal; one on the nearer bank which I named Nibarti-Assur. On the 20th of May[16] I withdrew from Calach; 51 I crossed the Tigris; to the land of Bit-Adini I went; to their strong city of Katrabi I approached, a city exceedingly strong, like a storm rushing from heaven,[17] 52 the soldiers confided to their numerous troops, and would not submit and accept my yoke: in honor of Assur the great Lord, my Lord, and the god the great protector going before me, I besieged the city 53 by the warlike engines[18] on foot and strong, the city I captured; many of their soldiers I slew; 800 of their fighting men I dispersed; their spoil and property I carried off, 2,400 of their warriors 54 I transported away and detained them at Calach; the city I overthrew razed and burnt; the fear of the approach of Assur my Lord over Bit-Adini I made good. 55 In those days the tribute of Ahuni son of Adini of Habini, of the city of Tul-Abnai,[19] silver, gold, tin,[20] copper, vestments of wool and linen, wood for bridges, 56 cedar wood, the treasures of his palace I received; their hostages I took, rimutu[21] I imposed upon them. In the month April[22] and on the eighth day I quitted Calach; the Tigris 57 I passed; to Carchemish[23] in Syria I directed my steps; to Bit-Bakhiani I approached; the tribute due from the son[24] of Bakhiani, swift chariots, horses, silver, 58 gold, tin, copper, kami of copper, I received; the chariots and warlike engines of the officer of the son of Bakhiani I added to my magazines; 59 I menaced the land of Anili: the tribute of Hu-immi of Nilaya, swift war chariots, horses, silver, gold, tin,[25] copper, 60 kami of copper, oxen, sheep, horses, I received; the chariots and warlike instruments of the officer I added to my magazines. From Anili I withdrew; to Bit-Adini I approached; 61 the tribute of Ahuni son of Adini, silver, gold, tin,[5] copper, wood of ereru and rabaz, horns, sai-wood, horns[26] 62 of thrones horns of silver, and gold, sari, bracelets of gold, sahri fastenings for covers of gold, scabbards of gold, oxen, sheep, goats as his tribute I received; 63 the chariots and warlike engines of the officer of Ahuni I added to my magazines. In those days I received the tribute of Habini of Tul-Abnai, four maneh of silver and 400 sheep; 64 ten maneh of silver for his first year as tribute I imposed upon him: from Bit-Adini I withdrew; the Euphrates, in a difficult part of it, I crossed in ships of hardened skins: 65 I approached the land of Carchemish: the tribute of Sangara King of Syria, twenty talents of silver, sahri gold, bracelets of gold, scabbards of gold, 100 talents 66 of copper, 250 talents of annui kami, harlate, nirmakate kibil[27] of copper, the extensive furniture of his palace, 67 of incomprehensible perfection[28] different kinds of woods,[29] ka and sara, 200 female slaves, vestments of wool, 68 and linen; beautiful black coverings, beautiful purple coverings, precious stones, horns of buffaloes, white[30] chariots, images of gold, their coverings, the treasures of his Royalty, I received of him; 69 the chariots and warlike engines of the General of Carchemish I laid up in my magazines; the Kings of all those lands who had come out against me received my yoke; their hostages I received; 70 they did homage in my presence; to the land of Lebanon[31] I proceeded. From Carchemish I withdrew and marched to the territory of Munzigani and Harmurga: 71 the land of Ahanu I reduced; to Gaza[32] the town of Lubarna[33] of the Khatti I advanced; gold and vestments of linen I received: 72 crossing the river Abrie I halted and then leaving that river approached the town of Kanulua a royal city belonging to Lubarna of the Khatti: 73 from before my mighty arms and my formidable onset he fled in fear, and for the saving of his life submitted to my yoke; twenty talents of silver, one talent of gold, 74 100 talents in tin, 100 talents in annui, 1,000 oxen, 10,000 sheep, 1,000 vestments of wool, linen, nimati and ki woods coverings, 75 ahuzate thrones, kui wood, wood for seats, their coverings, sarai, zueri-wood, horns of kui in abundance, the numerous utensils of his palace, whose beauty 76 could not be comprehended:[34] ... pagatu(?)[35] from the wealth of great Lords as his tribute 77 I imposed upon him; the chariots and warlike engines of the land of the Khatti I laid up in my magazines; their hostages I took. In those days (I received) the tribute of Guzi 78 of the land of Yahanai, silver, gold, tin,[36] ... oxen, sheep, vestments of wool and linen I received: from Kunalua the capital of Lubarna I withdrew, 79 of the land of the Khatti, crossed the Orontes,[37] and after a halt left it, and to the borders 80 of the land of Yaraki and of Yahturi I went round: the land[38] ... had rebelled: from the Sangura after a halt I withdrew; 81 I made a detour to the lands of Saratini and Girpani[39] ... I halted and advanced to Aribue a fortified city belonging to Lubarna of the land of the Khatti: 82 the city I took to myself; the wheats and barleys of Luhuti I collected; I allowed his palace to be sacked and settled Assyrians there.[40] 83 While I was stationed at Aribua, I captured the cities of the land of Luhiti and slew many of their soldiers; overthrew razed and burned them with fire; 84 the soldiers whom I took alive I impaled on stakes close by their cities. In those days I occupied the environs of Lebanon; to the great sea 85 of Phoenicia[41] I went up: up to the great sea my arms I carried: to the gods I sacrificed; I took tribute of the Princes of the environs of the sea-coast, 86 of the lands of Tyre, Sidon, Gebal, Maacah[42] Maizai Kaizai, of Phoenicia and Arvad 87 on the sea-coast—silver, gold, tin, copper, kam of copper, vestments of wool and linen, pagutu[43] great and small, 88 strong timber, wood of ki[44] teeth of dolphins, the produce of the sea, I received as their tribute: my yoke they accepted; the mountains of Amanus[45] I ascended; wood for bridges, 89 pines, box, cypress, li-wood, I cut down; I offered sacrifices for my gods; a trophy[46] of victory I made, and in a central place I erected it; 90 gusuri-wood, cedar wood from Amanus I destined for Bit-Hira, and my pleasure house called Azmaku, for the temple of the Moon and Sun the exalted gods. 91 I proceeded to the land of Iz-mehri, and took possession of it throughout: I cut down beams for bridges of mehri trees, and carried them to Nineveh; (and) 92 to Istar Lady of Nineveh (on) my knees I knelt.[47] In the eponym of Samas-nuri[48] in the honor of the great Lord Assur my Lord on the 20th of April[49] 93 from Calach I withdrew—crossed the Tigris—descended to the land of Kipani, and there, in the city of Huzirina, received the tribute of the governors of its cities. 94 While stationed at Huzirana I received the tribute of Ittiel of Nilaya, Giridadi of Assaya, in silver 95 gold, oxen, sheep. In those days I received the tribute in beams for bridges, cedar wood, silver, gold of Qatuzili 96 of Commagene[50]—withdrew from Huzirina and took my way upward along the banks of the Euphrates; to Kubbu.[51] 97 I crossed over into the midst of the towns of Assa in Kirkhi over against Syria. The cities of Umalie and Khiranu 98 powerful cities centrally situated in Adani I captured; numbers of their soldiers I slew; spoil beyond reckoning 99 I carried off; the towns I overthrew and demolished; 150 cities of their territory I burned with fire; then from Khiranu 100 I withdrew; I passed over to the environs of the land of Amadani; I went down among the cities of Dirrie, and the cities within the lands of 101 Amadani and Arquanie I burned with fire: Mallanu which is in the middle of Arquanie I took as my own possession; I withdrew from Mallanu 102 to the cities of Zamba on the sandy outskirt, which I burned with fire: I passed the river Sua, proceeding up to the Tigris whose cities 103 on those banks and on these banks of the Tigris in Arkanie to a heap I reduced: its waters overflowed all Kirkhi: my yoke they took; 104 their hostages I exacted; a Viceroy of my own I appointed over them: in the environs of the land of Amadani I arrived: at Barza-Nistun 105 To Dandamusa the fortified city of Ilani son of Zamani I drew near and laid siege to it: my warriors like birds of prey rushed upon them; 106 600 of their warriors I put to the sword and decapitated; 400 I took alive; 107 3,000 captives I brought forth; I took possession of the city for myself: the living soldiers, and heads to the city of Amidi[52] the royal city, I sent; 108 heaps of the heads close by his great gate I piled; the living soldiers I crucified on crosses[53] at the gates of the town; 109 inside the gates I made carnage; their forests I cut down;[54] from Amidi I withdrew toward the environs of Kasyari; the city of Allabzie 110 to whose rocks and stones no one among the Kings my fathers had ever made approach, I penetrated; to the town of Uda the fortress of Labduri son of Dubuzi 111 I approached and besieged the city with bilsi(?) strengthened and marching; the city I captured;[55] ... soldiers[56] ... with my weapons I destroyed; 570 soldiers 112 I captured; 3,000 captives I took forth; soldiers alive I caught; some I impaled on stakes;[57] of others 113 the eyes I put out: the remainder I carried off to Assur and took the city as my own possession—I who am Assur-nasir-pal mighty King, King of Assyria son of Tuklat-Adar, (Tuklat-Ninip) 114 great King, powerful King, King of legions, King of Assyria son of Vul-nirari[58] great King, mighty King, King of legions, King of Assyria, noble warrior, who in the service of Assur his Lord proceeded, and among the Kings of the four regions, 115 has no equal, a Prince[59] (giving) ordinances, not fearing opponents, mighty unrivalled leader, a Prince subduer of the disobedient, who all 116 the thrones of mankind has subdued; powerful King treading over the heads of his enemies, trampling on the lands of enemies, breaking down the assemblages of the wicked; who in the service of the great gods 117 his Lords marched along; whose hand hath taken possession of all their lands, laid low the forests of all of them, and received their tributes, taking hostages (and) imposing laws 118 upon all those lands; when Assur the Lord proclaimer of my name, aggrandizer of my Royalty, who added his unequivocal service to the forces of my government 119 I destroyed the armies of the spacious land of Lulumi. In battle by weapons I smote them down. With the help of the Sun-god 120 and Yav, the gods in whom I trust, I rushed upon the armies of Nairi, Kirkhi Subariya and Nirbi like Yav the inundator;[60] 121 a King who from the other side the Tigris to the land of Lebanon and the great sea has subjugated to his yoke the entire land of Lakie and the land of Zukhi as far as the city Rapik; 122 to whose yoke is subjected (all) from the sources of the Zupnat to the frontiers of Bitani; from the borders of Kirruri to Kirzani; 123 from beyond the Lower Zab to the town of Tulsa-Zabdani and the town of Tul-Bari beyond the land of Zaban as far as the towns of Tul-sa-Zabdani and 124 Tul-sa-Abtani; Harimu, Harutu in Birate of Kardunias[61] to the borders of my land I added; (the inhabitants) of the territory of Babite 125 with Khasmar among the people of my own country I accounted: in the countries which I held I established a deputy: they performed homage: submission 126 I imposed upon them; I, Assur-nasir-pal, great, noble, worshipper of the great gods, generous, great, mighty possessors of cities and the forests of all their domains, King of Lords, consumer of 127 the wicked taskaru invincible, who combats injustice, Lord of all Kings, King of Kings, glorious, upholder of Bar (Ninip) the warlike, worshipper 128 of the great gods, a King who, in the service of Assur and Ninip, gods in whom he trusted, hath marched royally, and wavering lands and Kings his enemies in all their lands 129 to his yoke hath subdued, and the rebels against Assur, high and low, hath opposed and imposed on them impost and tribute—Assur-nasir-pal 130 mighty King, glory of the Moon-god[62] worshipper of Anu, related[63] to Yav, suppliant of the gods, an unyielding servant, destroyer of the land of his foes; I, a King vehement in war, 131 destroyer of forests and cities, chief over opponents, Lord of four regions, router of his enemies in strong lands and forests, and who Kings mighty and fearless from the rising 132 to the setting of the sun to my yoke subjugated.

The former city of Calach which Shalmaneser King of Assyria going before me, had built— 133 that city was decayed and reduced to a heap of ruins: that city I built anew; the people captured by my hand of the countries which I had subdued, Zukhi and Lakie, 134 throughout their entirety, the town of Sirku on the other side of the Euphrates, all Zamua, Bit-Adini, the Khatti, and the subjects of Liburna I collected within, I made them occupy.[64] 135 A water-course from the Upper Zab I dug and called it Pati-kanik: timber upon its shores I erected: a choice of animals to Assur my Lord and (for) the Chiefs of my realm I sacrificed; 136 the ancient mound I threw down: to the level of the water I brought it: 120 courses on the low level I caused it to go: its wall I built; from the ground to the summit I built (and) completed.

[Additional clauses are found on the monolith inscription in the British Museum. They are not, however, of any great importance and amount to little more than directions for the preservation and reparation of the palace, with imprecations upon those who should at any time injure the buildings. On this same monolith is found an invocation to the great gods of the Assyrian Pantheon: namely, to Assur, Anu, Hea, Sin [the Moon], Merodach, Yav Jahve, Jah[?], Ninip, Nebo, Beltis, Nergal, Bel-Dagon, Samas [the Sun], Istar.]

[Footnote 1: Sivan.]

[Footnote 2: 878 B.C.]

[Footnote 3: Heb. "Tammuz," Assyr. "Duwazu."]

[Footnote 4: A city in Mesopotamia.]

[Footnote 5: "Burattu." In Hebrew (Gen. ii. 14). "Phrat."]

[Footnote 6: Dr. Oppert renders this "Anatho."]

[Footnote 7: Literally, "from the face of."]

[Footnote 8: Probably military engines used in sieges.]

[Footnote 9: Or, sadi-stone shining.]

[Footnote 10: "Kaldu." There are fragments existing in the British Museum of a treaty made between this Nabu-bal-idin, King of Kardunias (Babylonia), and Shalmaneser, son of Assur-nasir-pal. v. "Trans. Soc. Bib. Archaeol.," i. 77.]

[Footnote 11: The Hebrew Sivan.]

[Footnote 12: Literally, "impaled on stakes." But Dr. Oppert and Mr. Norris generally adopt the rendering given in the text, I. 108, p. 194.]

[Footnote 13: It will be observed that this city is differently spelled in line 27. Irregularities of this kind are very frequent, especially in the termination of proper names.]

[Footnote 14: See note 3, p. 188.]

[Footnote 15: "Ahuni." See l. 61, p. 191.]

[Footnote 16: The Hebrew Sivan.]

[Footnote 17: Or, "as it were situated among the storm-clouds of heaven."]

[Footnote 18: The nature of these engines ("bilsi") is uncertain.]

[Footnote 19: I.e., stony-hill.]

[Footnote 20: Or, lead.]

[Footnote 21: Possibly "humiliation," from the Chaldee "rama."]

[Footnote 22: Airu.]

[Footnote 23: Carchemish. Cf. Jeremiah xlvi. 2.]

[Footnote 24: Tribe(?).]

[Footnote 25: Or, lead.]

[Footnote 26: Some projecting ornament, like "horns of an altar." Cf. Ps. cxviii. 27; Exod. xxx. 2.]

[Footnote 27: Probably some utensils, as explained by the Hebrew word "unutu" ("anioth").]

[Footnote 28: Or, with Mr. Norris, "the whole of it was not taken." Dict., p. 558.]

[Footnote 29: The words specified are "sa" or "issa," "passur," and probably "ebony"; the others have not been identified.]

[Footnote 30: Probably "in ivory."]

[Footnote 31: Labnana.]

[Footnote 32: Hazazi.]

[Footnote 33: Prince.]

[Footnote 34: The Inscription is here defaced.]

[Footnote 35: May this be the Hebrew word for garments, "beged"?]

[Footnote 36: Defaced.]

[Footnote 37: Arunte.]

[Footnote 38: Defaced.]

[Footnote 39: Defaced.]

[Footnote 40: Precisely thus: "The King of Assyria brought men from Babylon ... and placed them in the cities of Samaria instead of the children of Israel."—2 Kings xvii. 24.]

[Footnote 41: "Akhari." Heb. [Hebrew: achari].]

[Footnote 42: Literally, Zurai, Sidunai, Gubalai, Makullat.]

[Footnote 43: See p. 192, note 5.]

[Footnote 44: Ebony.]

[Footnote 45: The mountain chain which divides Syria from Cilicia.]

[Footnote 46: Or, proof.]

[Footnote 47: Literally, sat.]

[Footnote 48: I.e., "the sun is my light."]

[Footnote 49: Assyr. "Airu," Heb. "Iyar." 866 B.C.]

[Footnote 50: Literally, Kumukhaya.]

[Footnote 51: Between Carchemish and the Orontes.]

[Footnote 52: Diarbekr, still known by the name of "Kar-Amid." Rawlinson's "Herodotus," l. 466. The name is of frequent occurrence in early Christian writers.]

[Footnote 53: See p. 188, note 2.]

[Footnote 54: Cf. Is. x. 34, "He shall cut down the thickets of the forest with iron"; also Ezek. xxxix. 10.]

[Footnote 55: The inscription is here defaced.]

[Footnote 56: Defaced.]

[Footnote 57: See p. 188, note 2.]

[Footnote 58: The grandfather of Assur-nasir-pal. His reign probably terminated at 889 B.C.]

[Footnote 59: Literally, shepherd. Thus, Isa. xliv. 28, "Cyrus is my shepherd."]

[Footnote 60: Cf. Ps. xxix. 10, "The Lord (Jhvh) sitteth upon the flood; yea the Lord sitteth King forever."]

[Footnote 61: This reads like an annexation of a portion of Babylonian territory.]

[Footnote 62: Or upholder, proclaimer of Sin, the moon; of. I. 127.]

[Footnote 63: Assyr. "Nalad." Cf. the Heb. yalad "born of."]

[Footnote 64: Precisely thus were the Israelites carried away to Babylon.]



ASSYRIAN SACRED POETRY

TRANSLATED BY H.F. TALBOT, F.R.S.

The following translations are some of those which I published in the "Transactions of the Society of Biblical Archaeology" in order to show that the Assyrians had a firm belief in the immortality of the soul: a fact which was previously unknown.

I have added specimens of their penitential psalms, and some notices of their numerous superstitions, such as the exorcism of evil spirits, the use of magic knots and talismans, the belief in inherited or imputed sins, and in the great degree of holiness which they attributed to the number Seven. In some of these respects we may evidently see how great an influence was exercised on the mind and belief of the Jews by their long residence at Babylon.



ASSYRIAN SACRED POETRY

A PRAYER FOR THE KING

1 "Length of days 2 long lasting years 3 a strong sword 4 a long life 5 extended years of glory 6 pre-eminence among Kings 7 grant ye to the King my Lord, 8 who has given such gifts 9 to his gods! 10 The bounds vast and wide 11 of his Empire 12 and of his Rule, 13 may he enlarge and may he complete! 14 Holding over all Kings supremacy 15 and royalty and empire 16 may he attain to gray hairs 17 and old age! 18 And after the life of these days, 19 in the feasts of the silver mountain,[2] the heavenly Courts 20 the abodes of blessedness: 21 and in the Light 22 of the Happy Fields, 23 may he dwell a life 24 eternal, holy 25 in the presence 26 of the gods 27 who inhabit Assyria!"

[Footnote 1: From the "Trans. Soc. Bib. Arch.," vol. i. p. 107. The original is in "Cuneiform Inscriptions of Western Asia," vol. iii. pl. 66.]

[Footnote 2: The Assyrian Olympus. The epithet "silver" was doubtless suggested by some snowy inaccessible peak, the supposed dwelling-place of the gods.]



SHORT PRAYER FOR THE SOUL OF A DYING MAN [Footnote: "Trans. Soc. Bib. Arch.," vol. ii. p. 20.]

1 Like a bird may it fly to a lofty place! 2 To the holy hands of its god, may it ascend!



THE DEATH OF A RIGHTEOUS MAN [Footnote: Ibid., vol. ii. p. 31.]

1 Bind the sick man to Heaven, for from the Earth he is being torn away! 2 Of the brave man who was so strong, his strength has departed. 3 Of the righteous servant, the force does not return. 4 In his bodily frame he lies dangerously ill. 5 But Ishtar, who in her dwelling is grieved concerning him 6 descends from her mountain, unvisited of men. 7 To the door of the sick man she comes. 8 The sick man listens! 9 Who is there? Who comes? 10 It is Ishtar daughter of the Moon-god Sin: 11 It is the god (...) Son of Bel: 12 It is Marduk, Son of the god (...). 13 They approach the body of the sick man. (The next line, 14, is nearly destroyed.) 15 They bring a khisibta[1] from the heavenly treasury. 16 They bring a sisbu from their lofty storehouse: 17 into the precious khisibta they pour bright liquor. 18 That righteous man, may he now rise on high! 19 May he shine like that khisibta! 20 May he be bright as that sisbu! 21 Like pure silver may his garment be shining white! 22 Like brass may he be radiant! 23 To the Sun, greatest of the gods, may he ascend! 24 And may the Sun, greatest of the gods, receive his soul into his holy hands![2]

[Footnote 1: Probably a cup or drinking-vessel.]

[Footnote 2: There is a fine inscription not yet fully translated, describing the soul in heaven, clothed in a white radiant garment, seated in the company of the blessed, and fed by the gods themselves with celestial food.]



PENITENTIAL PSALMS

(These lamentations seem frequently to be incoherent. A few specimens are taken from the same work as the preceding. [Footnote: "Trans. Soc. Bib. Arch.," vol. ii. p. 60.])

O my Lord! my sins are many, my trespasses are great; and the wrath of the gods has plagued me with disease and with sickness and sorrow.

I fainted: but no one stretched forth his hand!

I groaned: but no one drew nigh!

I cried aloud: but no one heard!

O Lord! do not abandon thy servant!

In the waters of the great storm, seize his hand!

The sins which he has committed, turn thou to righteousness!



ELSEWHERE WE FIND

1 O my god! my sins are seven times seven! 2 O my goddess! my sins are seven times seven!

(And then a prayer follows, that those sins may be pardoned as a father and mother would pardon them!)



AN ADDRESS TO SOME DEITY

In heaven who is great? Thou alone art great! On earth who is great? Thou alone art great! When thy voice resounds in heaven, the gods fall prostrate! When thy voice resounds on earth, the genii kiss the dust!



ELSEWHERE [Footnote: Ibid., vol. ii. p. 51.]

O Thou; thy words who can resist? who can rival them? Among the gods thy brothers, thou hast no equal!



A PRAYER [Footnote: Idem.]

The god my creator, may he stand by my side! Keep thou the door of my lips! guard thou my hands, O Lord of light!



ODE TO FIRE

(The original text of this will be found in 4 R 14 l. 6 which is a lithographic copy of the tablet K, 44. A part of it was translated some years ago from a photograph of that tablet; see No. 430 of my Glossary.

Very few Assyrian odes are so simple and intelligible as this is: unfortunately most of them are mystical and hard of interpretation.)

1 O Fire, great Lord, who art the most exalted in the world, 2 noble Son of heaven, who art the most exalted in the world, 3 O Fire, with thy bright flame 4 in the dark house thou dost cause light. 5 Of all things that can be named, Thou dost form the fabric! 6 Of bronze and of lead, Thou art the melter! 7 Of silver and of gold, Thou art the refiner! 8 Of ... Thou art the purifier! 9 Of the wicked man in the night time Thou dost repel the assault! 10 But the man who serves his god, Thou wilt give him light for his actions!



ASSYRIAN TALISMANS AND EXORCISMS TRANSLATED BY H.F. TALBOT, F.R.S.



DEMONIACAL POSSESSION AND EXORCISM

Diseases were attributed to the influence of Evil Spirits. Exorcisms were used to drive away those tormentors: and this seems to have been the sole remedy employed, for I believe that no mention has been found of medicine.

This is a very frequent subject of the tablets. [Footnote: Taken from 2 R pl. 18.] One of them says of a sick man:

1 "May the goddess ... 2 wife of the god ... 3 turn his face in another direction; 4 that the evil spirit may come out of him 5 and be thrust aside, and that Good Spirits and Good Powers 6 may dwell in his body!"

Sometimes divine images were brought into the chamber, and written texts taken from holy books were placed on the walls and bound around the sick man's brows. If these failed recourse was had to the influence of the mamit, which the evil powers were unable to resist. On a tablet 2 R p. 17 the following is found, written in the Accadian language only, the Assyrian version being broken off:

1 Take a white cloth: In it place the mamit, 2 in the sick man's right hand. 3 And take a black cloth: 4 wrap it round his left hand. 5 Then all the evil spirits.[1] 6 and the sins which he has committed 7 shall quit their hold of him, 8 and shall never return.[2]

[Footnote 1: A long list of them is given.]

[Footnote 2: "Trans. Soc. Bib. Arch.," vol. ii. p. 56.]

The symbolism of the black cloth in the left hand seems evident. The dying man repudiates all his former evil deeds. And he puts his trust in holiness, symbolized by the white cloth in his right hand. Then follow some obscure lines about the spirits—

Their heads shall remove from his head: their hands shall let go his hands: their feet shall depart from his feet:

which perhaps may be explained thus—we learn, from another tablet, that the various classes of evil spirits troubled different parts of the body. Some injured the head, some the hands and feet, etc., etc. Therefore the passage before us may mean: "The spirits whose power is over the hand, shall loose their hands from his," etc. But I can offer no decided opinion on such obscure points of their superstition.



INHERITED OR IMPUTED SINS

These were supposed to pursue a sick man and torment him. [Footnote: See "Cuneiform Inscriptions of Western Asia," vol. iv. p. 7.]

1 The mamit for him reveal! The mamit for him unfold![1] 2 Against the evil spirit, disturber of his body! 3 Whether it be the sin of his father: 4 or whether it be the sin of his mother: 5 or whether it be the sin of his elder brother: 6 or whether it be the sin of someone who is unknown![2]

[Footnote 1: A holy object, the nature of which has not been ascertained.]

[Footnote 2: "Trans. Soc. Bib. Arch.," vol. ii, p. 58.]



MAGIC KNOTS

Justin Martyr, speaking of the Jewish exorcists, says "They use magic ties or knots." A similar usage prevailed among the Babylonians. [Footnote 7: Ibid., p. 54.] The god Marduk wishes to soothe the last moments of a dying man. His father Hea says: Go my son!

1 Take a woman's linen kerchief 2 bind it round thy right hand! loose it from the left hand! 3 Knot it with seven knots: do so twice: 4 Sprinkle it with bright wine: 5 bind it round the head of the sick man: 6 bind it round his hands and feet, like manacles and fetters. 7 Sit down on his bed: 8 sprinkle holy water over him. 9 He shall hear the voice of Hea, 10 Davkina[1] shall protect him! 11 And Marduk, Eldest Son of heaven, shall find him a happy habitation![2]

[Footnote 1: One of the principal goddesses, the wife of the god Hea.]

[Footnote 2: "Trans. Soc. Bib. Arch.," vol. ii. p. 84.]



TALISMANS

To cure diseases they seem to have relied wholly on charms and incantations.

The first step was to guard the entrance to the sick man's chamber.

A tablet says:

"That nothing evil may enter, place at the door the god (...) and the god (...)."

That is to say, their images. I believe these were little figures of the gods, brought by the priests, perhaps a sort of Teraphim.

The following line is more explicit: "Place the guardian statues of Hea and Marduk at the door, on the right hand and on the left." But they added to this another kind of protection:

1 Right and left of the threshold of the door, spread out holy texts and sentences. 2 Place on the statues texts bound around them.

These must have been long strips like ribbons of parchment or papyrus. The following line is still clearer:

"In the night-time bind around the sick man's head a sentence taken from a good book."[10]

[Footnote 10: Similar to these were the phylacteries of the Jews, which were considered to be protections from all evil. Schleusner in his Lexicon of the New Testament says that they were "Strips of parchment on which were written various portions of the Mosaic law, for the Jews believed that these ligaments had power to avert every kind of evil, but especially to drive away demons. as appears from the Targum on the Canticles," etc. We see that the Babylonian precept was to bind holy sentences "around the head" and others "right and left of the threshold of the door."

Cf. Deut. xi. 18: "Ye shall lay up these my words in your heart, and in your soul, and bind them for a sign upon your hand, and as frontlets between your eyes.

"And thou shalt write them upon the door-posts of thine house, and upon thy gates."]



HOLINESS OF THE NUMBER SEVEN

Innumerable are the evidences of this opinion which are found on the tablets. Two or three instances may suffice here:

THE SONG OF THE SEVEN SPIRITS [Footnote: "Trans. Soc. Bib. Arch.," vol. ii. 2 p. 58.]

1 They are seven! they are seven! 2 In the depths of ocean they are seven! 3 In the heights of heaven they are seven! 4 In the ocean stream in a Palace they were born. 5 Male they are not: female they are not! 6 Wives they have not! Children are not born to them! 7 Rule they have not! Government they know not! 8 Prayers they hear not! 9 They are seven, and they are seven! Twice over they are seven!

This wild chant touches one of the deepest chords of their religious feeling. They held that seven evil spirits at once might enter into a man: there are frequent allusions to them, and to their expulsion, on the tablets. One runs thus:

1 The god (...) shall stand by his bedside: 2 Those seven evil spirits he shall root out, and shall expel them from his body. 3 And those seven shall never return to the sick man again!

But sometimes this belief attained the grandeur of epic poetry. There is a fine tale on one of the tablets [Footnote 2: "Cuneiform Inscriptions of Western Asia," vol. iv. pl. 5.] of the seven evil spirits assaulting heaven, and the gods alarmed standing upon the defensive, no doubt successfully, but unluckily the conclusion of the story is broken off.



ANCIENT BABYLONIAN CHARMS

TRANSLATED BY REV. A.H. SAYCE, M.A.

The following are specimens of the imprecatory charms with which the ancient Babylonian literature abounded, and which were supposed to be the most potent means in the world for producing mischief. Some examples are given in the first volume of the "Records of the Past," pp. 131-135 of the exorcisms used to avert the consequences of such enchantments. The original Accadian text is preserved in the first column with an interlinear Assyrian translation: the short paragraphs in Column III also give the Accadian original; but elsewhere the Assyrian scribe has contented himself with the Assyrian rendering alone. The charms are rhythmic, and illustrate the rude parallelism of Accadian poetry. The Assyrian translations were probably made for the library of Sargon of Agane, an ancient Babylonian monarch who reigned not later than the sixteenth century B.C.; but the copy we possess was made from the old tablets by the scribes of Assur-bani-pal. The larger part of the first column has already been translated by M. Francois Lenormant in "La Magie chez les Chaldeens" p. 59. The tablet on which the inscription occurs is marked K 65 in the British Museum Collection and will be published in the "Cuneiform Inscriptions of Western Asia," Vol. IV, plates 7, 8.



ANCIENT BABYLONIAN CHARMS

COLUMN I

1 The beginning[1]—The baneful charm[2] like an evil demon acts against[3] the man. 2 The voice that defiles acts upon him. 3 The maleficent voice acts upon him. 4 The baneful charm is a spell that originates sickness.[4] 5 This man the baneful charm strangles like a lamb. 6 His god in his flesh makes the wound. 7 His goddess mutual enmity brings down. 8 The voice that defiles like a hyena covers him and subjugates him. 9 Merodach[5] favors him; and 10 to his father Hea into the house he enters and cries: 11 "O my father, the baneful charm like an evil demon acts against the man." 12 To the injured (man) he (Hea) speaks thus: 13 "(A number) make: this man is unwitting: by means of the number he enslaves thee." 14 (To) his son Merodach he replies[6] 15 "My son, the number thou knowest not; the number let me fix for thee. 16 Merodach, the number thou knowest not; the number let me fix for thee. 17 What I know thou knowest. 18 Go, my son Merodach. 19 ... with noble hand seize him, and 20 his enchantment explain and his enchantment make known. 21 Evil (is to) the substance of his body,[7] 22 whether (it be) the curse of his father, 23 or the curse of his mother, 24 or the curse of his elder brother, 25 or the bewitching curse of an unknown man." 26 Spoken (is) the enchantment by the lips of Hea. 27 Like a signet may he[8] be brought near. 28 Like garden-herbs may he be destroyed. 29 Like a weed may he be gathered-for-sale. 30 (This) enchantment may the spirit of heaven remember, may the spirit of earth remember.